Homebuying: Love at first sight

When I was home shopping, I visited what seemed like a gazillion homes. All fit our criteria in terms of price, number of bedrooms, location, etc., but none of them seemed quite what I wanted. The house we eventually bought – I knew it was the one within a minute of wandering through it. Interestingly, this scenario seems fairly typical of most prospective buyers.

With the spring home selling and buying season about to ramp up, real estate brokerage firm Coldwell Banker released a survey of the home buying decisions of men and women. For most, finding a place they want to call their home is like love at first sight.

The majority of women (62 percent) and men (61 percent) also know within the first visit if the home is right for them.

“A home is more than square-footage and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and this survey shows just how much emotion can play a role in home buying process,” says Jessica Edwards, Coldwell Banker Real Estate consumer specialist. “When two people are looking for a home together, there are many considerations to take into account. Of course, price and layout matter, but ‘feeling at home’ is an important factor.”

Shopping for what is probably everyone’s biggest financial purchase can be both stressful and fun, but if you are doing it as a couple, it’s important to communicate and decide as a pair what the top priorities are.

For sellers, knowing that feelings and emotions are important for buyers, it’s key to put your home’s best foot forward. Whether it may be staging or just touching up, keep in mind that most buyers will know if they want your house at the first visit.